My mind is blown! Check my math, please?

sparacka
sparacka Posts: 137 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
When I joined MFP, I reveled in the opportunity to play with Math, because Math is fun. I calculated my BMR & my TDEE & set myself up with what I thought was a reasonable deficit.

Admittedly, I lost a considerable amount of weight (and rather quickly, which I know is frowned upon around here). Believe me, I understand the concept of making long-term changes and I am all for it. I've been on a LCHF diet since early June & am pleased as punch that I am not hangry or miserable as I have been when I "dieted" in the past.

In an effort to keep things current & accurate, I just went to calculate my TDEE again (I routinely do this at iifym.com). I was a bit concerned since my numbers seem to have gone UP. (WTH? - read that in the voice from the "Shoes" video, please). I decided to whip up an excel spreadsheet to figure out what my TDEE actually _is_.

Over the last 30 days, I've eaten 44,404 calories (at least, that's my best guess, based upon my logging & tracking).
I've lost 10 pounds (so another 35,000).
44,404 + 35,000 = 79,404/ 30 = 2647
Check my math, please? My TDEE is 2647?!?
I've been aiming to stay below 1600, because that was ~20% less of what I thought my TDEE was (2014).

Advice? Should I calculate a new deficit based upon what my real energy expenditure seems to be? I gave my kids an ice cream sandwich last night (Blue Bunny Birthday Cake flavor, bought before I went low-carb; they are my absolute favorites) and upon checking the nutrition label, I noticed that they only have 180 calories. Not bad for an ice cream treat, I thought. I told myself to keep them in mind for a day that my calories didn't seem to be stretched so thin. Now I'm thinking- go home and eat an ice cream sandwich IMMEDIATELY.

How could I have been so off on my TDEE? I only "work-out" once a week (though I plan for that to change, and soon), but I am up and about a lot at work and chase my kidlets around a lot, so I selected 3/ week on iifym. Was this my error?

Replies

  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    If you figure maybe 5 lbs. of your loss was water/glycogen, you're back down to around 2000-2100 TDEE.
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
    I can't math. But in my experience my TDEE is much higher than any calculator for my height and weight. Part of it may be underestimating my activity level but after doing some experimenting of my own away from calculators I was able to add a few 100 calories more and lose just fine. I would say, since you're halfway to goal, 10 lbs is quite a bit over a 30 day period and upping your calories a bit would probably be beneficial :) . Just keep your activity level consistent and slowly up until you're losing about 1 lb a week or so, imo
  • sparacka
    sparacka Posts: 137 Member
    That I had not considered, though it makes a lot of sense. Thanks!
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    If you re-calc it with the entire first week ignored, what do you get?
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • sparacka
    sparacka Posts: 137 Member
    If you re-calc it with the entire first week ignored, what do you get?

    My first week was in early June, so I'd have to go back and play around in Excel some more. I did lose five pounds my first week (and assumed that it was water weight from my body dropping its glycogen stores), but since then things have been more along the lines of 1-2 pounds / week.
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
    If you re-calc it with the entire first week ignored, what do you get?

    My first week was in early June, so I'd have to go back and play around in Excel some more. I did lose five pounds my first week (and assumed that it was water weight from my body dropping its glycogen stores), but since then things have been more along the lines of 1-2 pounds / week.

    Forgot about glycogen stores. Carry on with your 1600 then, you're doing fine ;)
  • Leonidas_meets_Spartacus
    Leonidas_meets_Spartacus Posts: 6,198 Member
    Calculators are wild estimates, when I actually got my BMR measured, most of calculators were off by 600 cals. I just listen to my body and eat till I am full. Glad I do that because my metabolism is much faster now because I don't under eat.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Over the last 30 days, I've eaten 44,404 calories (at least, that's my best guess, based upon my logging & tracking).
    I've lost 10 pounds (so another 35,000).
    44,404 + 35,000 = 79,404/ 30 = 2647
    Check my math, please? My TDEE is 2647?!?

    LCHF comes with a lot of initial water loss. Call it 50%. That alone takes it down to 2100-ish.
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
    Yes, some of the loss will be water, and have seen that myself since starting a low carb eating programme about three and a half weeks ago. I would have thought though that any water would have been lost on the first week ?
  • sparacka
    sparacka Posts: 137 Member
    I just ran my numbers again, this time leaving off my first two weeks. (I've only got ~ 7 weeks' woth of data with which to work.)

    TDEE = 2822

    I should have mentioned that I am nursing my daughter (2 years old on Easter and still going strong whenever we are together), but I thought that would only allot me an extra 200 calories/ day. I also walk every weekday during my lunch hour and I work (standing throughout) on Sundays, but still!

    I'm still astounded that all of the online calculators are so off from what my actual numbers are showing. Unless I'm grossly overestimating the number of calories that I'm eating?
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    My calculation for my TDEE shows me at 2100...online calculators are usually about 2250-2500...

    Take your last 3 weeks worth of data...not the initial weight loss and use that...ensure you are not including the "water weight"
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    So here's what I found calculating my TDEE. I also underestimated my TDEE for my "active" (which aren't THAT active...) days. But I OVER estimated my TDEE for sedentary days.

    Like for real, if I do nothing but drive to work, take the elevator, then sit on the couch all night with a microwave meal, I burn maybe 1650 calories. Maybe. But if I take the stairs, walk at lunch, grocery shop, make dinner, do dishes by hand, my TDEE shoots up to 2250 or more sometimes. WITHOUT "exercise". In fact, my TDEE on exercise days is typically LESS than the days I spend cleaning the house, grocery shopping, etc.

    I don't know for sure if your TDEE is 2822. But it's possible it is. Just keep logging and tweaking, you'll find the right balance.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I just ran my numbers again, this time leaving off my first two weeks. (I've only got ~ 7 weeks' woth of data with which to work.)

    TDEE = 2822

    I should have mentioned that I am nursing my daughter (2 years old on Easter and still going strong whenever we are together), but I thought that would only allot me an extra 200 calories/ day. I also walk every weekday during my lunch hour and I work (standing throughout) on Sundays, but still!

    I'm still astounded that all of the online calculators are so off from what my actual numbers are showing. Unless I'm grossly overestimating the number of calories that I'm eating?
    This says 425-700/day for breastfeeding. I'm not sure if that'd be more for a 2-year-old, but I assume she's eating as well.

    http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/calories-burned-breastfeeding-5358.html

Categories